Last week I officially graduated from highschool and breathed a big sigh of relief. Not that I hate school, but I am quite glad to be done! Of course there are mixed feelings. It is fun to grow up, and yet I feel a sense of loss as I remember my childhood and realize that not only is my basic schooling over, but a whole chapter in my life has been completed; I have reached the first rung on the social ladder and with my formal education also goes my childhood.
   There are times when I'm glad of it, and yet to think of how carefree we were as children and how complicated things get as one grows up, it makes one wish to remain a child all one's life.
    Of course, however, there is one thing I wouldn't trade: the wisdom and understanding of an adult. I may have more cares and sorrows but I also have deeper joys and adventures. Because when we know what trouble means we enjoy the carefree better and one can only have true joy when he has known true sorrow. I enjoy relaxing best when I've run my feet off that day and I sleep much better when I haven't had a moments rest. My life is so wonderful that even though I often reminisce, I can't help but enjoy life now - thankful for my lovely childhood, which is greatly due to my parents' loving care - but also looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of Christ Jesus.
   Well, now that I have finished my ode to graduation and happy memories, I thought I might share some pictures from my childhood. I don't like to post pictures of myself, because I am far too self conscious, but I know when I look at other people's blogs I really enjoy it when they post pictures of themselves or, basically, put lots of pictures on their posts. So, I shall do the same for my readers...if ....there are any left!

I was cute as a baby; no one can deny that. Not even me!

All my siblings loved me, though for a time Timothy called me Jonathan because he wanted a brother very much. I don't blame him. I cried when Tobias was born because I wanted a little sister and Timothy didn't have any brothers at all!
I was dreadfully cruel to my dollies at that age. I treated them better when I was older but at this point, had no compassion or motherly instinct. One of my dolls has her hair so horribly matted from this period in my life that I have never been able to comb it out! Too bad doll's hair doesn't grow. Don't ask me what Timothy is doing!
I did enjoy posing for pictures back then...one year-olds aren't so self conscious!

But a two year old who has to have her birthday party on the floor because her family has just moved in, is quite a different matter! Actually it was the combination of being the center of attention and having a couple of candles in front of me which completely overwhelmed my senses.
Along came number five and I was officially no longer the baby in the family. I didn't care, especially since now, Timothy had a brother! I might have cried if I had known that the rest of the children in our family would be boys, but, then again, perhaps two year olds don't shed tears over such things. But I didn't know so I'll never know how I would have taken that revelation...God reveals His plan to us in the way He does for a very good reason. I'm very thankful for my four younger brothers. (As a sidenote, if Elliot, who is the baby in this picture, ever tries to tell you that he is my older brother...this picture is all the evidence you need against his claim!)
Arianne and I loved to clown around. But we were nice and each let the other have her turn under the spotlight. If you look carefully in the second picture, you can see me hiding in the back right corner.

      Gabrielle and Arianne may have thought they were entertaining Elliot; but I was the one actually doing it.
 I started my career in the kitchen relatively early in life. After all when you're three, you look so cute doing it that you can do a lot more then you could at, per say, age seven.
I also started learning to read at three. Gabrielle was my part time coach with drilling phonograms. I was reading by the time I was six!

The Five of us before church...or maybe it was after; I don't remember now.

 When I turned four; signs of my rambunctious nature were irretrievably stamped in my history. Perhaps you won't notice it but every time I look at this picture, I see that mark on my nose which came from falling off the bench one day at breakfast. Not only did I manage to get the mark on my nose where every one would notice, but I did it right before our annual pictures which were a great deal in our family. Mommy would take us all out to J.C. Penny to get a professional picture taken. No one had ever committed such a travesty as spoiling his face right before pictures and no one had ever gotten a gash from falling off the bench before. If you know me well, you would understand that I would be the one to do something like that!
 Then along came number six, Jedidiah was a brother like me for better and for worse. We have rather the same temperament.
 Yes, my hair has always been long and still curls to some extent, often times to my great frustration. I'm not sure what Elliot and I found so fascinating out there but here you get another good glimpse at the obvious age gap between us! ;)

Now I get it all to myself.

 Jeddy was so cute as a baby and I obviously thought so at the time!

This was when I was thirteen; so about five years ago.
This was my very first profile picture taken when about fourteen.
This was taken about a year later at fifteen and you all know this one because it has been my profile picture until a few months ago.

  At the top you will have already seen my latest edition which, knowing my habits will probably stay on for another three years.

 So, I hope you all enjoyed that snapshot of my life  and may I continue to be a blessing to everyone I meet. I shall continue teaching violin, continue working towards a B.A. in music theory and Composition. Most importantly, I shall continue to seek first the kingdom of God. I am so thankful for my family, my situation in life and my friends and church family. He has been so good to me.

   Finally, I want to share a hymn that was my favorite growing up...it still is, mostly.
Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us!

    I hope you love this beautiful song as much as I always have.
      
           With Love,
           Christianna